


After Harry fell

by TFALokiwriter



Series: For Harry [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Book 5: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Comfort, Crying, Dolores Umbridge Bashing, F/M, Grieving, Heartwarming, Hogwarts, I will obliterate your heart, Invisibility Cloak (Harry Potter), Kissing, M/M, Manipulative Albus Dumbledore, Post Character Death, Sirius Black Lives, Sirius Black Swears, Sirius Black's Flying Motorbike
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-08
Updated: 2020-06-08
Packaged: 2021-03-03 18:42:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,969
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24560257
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TFALokiwriter/pseuds/TFALokiwriter
Summary: The night after the attack in the Department of Mysteries, there is three empty seats and Dumbledore is in grave spirits about this.
Relationships: Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley, Hermione Granger/Harry Potter/Ron Weasley (mentioned), Sirius Black/Remus Lupin
Series: For Harry [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1778326
Kudos: 24





	After Harry fell

**Author's Note:**

> Sirius Black drops the f word once. This fic was written for mostly Ginny with inadventurant research about her love for Harry. I was just curious when they kissed then got down into hell.

Morning came for Hogwarts after Harry had fled and Headmaster Umbridge had been rid of in the Forbidden Forest. Hogwarts felt lighter and happier in recent months since the woman had entered their lives spelling horror left and right stirring unease, discomfort, and terrible times from first years to seven years. Once again, Harry had defeated the new member of the senior staff who was brought into Hogwarts.

Ginny was smiling more than she had in recent months as she entered the great hall with her group of friends, her arms around their shoulders, laughing, as the six feet restriction had been eased with her lack of presence. Umbridge had still yet to be found by search parties the night that Harry Potter made a break for it. Instead of being rowdy and talkative, Gryffindor table with the rest of the years was incredible silent with three notable missing people from their empty seats: Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley. Ginny and the rest of the students noticed the sound of sobbing coming from the table.

“What’s wrong?” Ginny asked.

“Harry---” Neville said. “Harry---”

“Harry is gone.” one of third years stepped up. “He is gone.”

“Expelled!” Ginny exclaimed. “That is not fair!”

“Serves him right for drawing the headmaster out and leaving her to a centaur!” Draco’s comment came from afar. 

“No. . .” Neville whimpered. “He is not expelled.”

“He ran away?” Ginny asked as she sat down. “Why the bloody HELL would HARRY POTTER RUN AWAY?”

Neville shook his head.

“He-h-h-h-hh-he---”

Neville broke into sobs as Draco’s attention were focused on the table and some of the Gryffindors rubbed the older boy’s back in comfort. Most of the first years became quiet as Dumbledore returned to his post instead of Umbridge.

“Dumbledore is back!” Luna announced, loudly. 

“Headmaster!” The crowd of the entire houses cheered.

“Last night, we had a terrible loss.”

Dumbledore announced and the skin from the hufflepuff’s skin turned white then faced the direction of the empty seats. Snape was notably absent among the teachers in attendance. Draco paid more attention than he had in the last few moments as a thousand scenarios popped into mind. Harry being responsible for the death of his Godfather came to mind.

“NO!” It was a scream from a member of the Hufflepuffs. “Not another!”

Dumbledore looked on with reluctance toward the distraught hufflepuff table.

“Harry Potter fell through the Veil last night in a attempt to discover his prophecy. He was ambushed by Death Eaters far as I have been informed. He was killed by Lord Voldemort! He murdered Harry Potter!”

It wasn’t his Godfather---Draco’s heart lumped into his throat. It was _Harry_. Harry Potter, the great Wizard against Lord Voldemort. And now, he wasn’t the greatest living Wizard against the Dark Lord. The news was a shock to hear that echoed from end to end of the great hall.

Their Professors were quiet and solemn from their chairs calmly composed dressed in black with only Trelawny of them all wearing veils as she dapped at the tears underneath with a handkerchief. Draco’s shoulders visibly lowered as Ginny’s mouth started to fall, the rest of the students stared at the return of their headmaster.

“I attended it, personally. I wasn’t alone in this duel and sent him fleeing from the scene with help from Neville Longbottom, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley, as was his posse.”

The great hall was silent except for Draco’s lone hand being raised. The information that Harry was gone hadn’t hit them quite yet. Some first years looked toward the doorway anticipating for the boy-who-lived to appear. Harry Potter did not walk in with his best friends flanking his side, disheveled, hurt, scarred, proudly and quite loudly disputing the facts.

“Draco Malfoy, what seems to be the question?” Dumbledore asked over the sobbing of Neville and most of the classmates that knew Harry.

“What do you mean by the Veil?” Draco’s voice was loud but the most confused.

“He has gone through the curtain that divides the land from the living.” Dumbledore elaborated. “Sirius Black’s criminal record has been expunged with the evidence of his effort in the battle as part of the Order of the Phoenix and the most credible evidence from Harry Potter that Voldemort returned by the hands of Peter Pettigrew.”

Luna raised a hand.

“Luna Lovegood, what is your question?”

“What happened to Harry’s body?” Luna asked.

“It was destroyed.”

Murmurs escaped from the crowd as Ginny felt a scream ready to break her apart.

“It cannot be recovered.”

Ginny leaned forward as her entire being felt sick with a tremble. 

“He may be gone but Harry Potter is part of everything around us and forever part of our very being. He surrounds us this very moment. He may be destroyed but his presence remains. We will have a memorial service in the court yard for Harry Potter.”

“Given the significance of Harry Potter to Hogwarts; All classes are cancelled for the the remainder of this school year--seven days in total. We will make up for the absence in learning these lessons this upcoming term.”

The murmurs coming from the crowds of students faced Dumbledore and Ginny blazed a path away from the table as she started to cry and the door closed behind her. With speed that belonged to someone riding a broomstick, she ran up to the doorway that lead to the boys room and the door opened as the portrait was weeping.

She went into the boys room and searched around the area. She raised her wand up summoning a detection spell, “Homenum Revelio.” And watched as Harry’s bed was the only one that was intact with evidence that indicated there were belongings underneath the bed. Ginny dropped her wand once her hand to the grip slackened. _Harry is gone._ Point blank there was no wand left of the boy behind. A wand that was surely taken back to Diagon Alley to the very wand maker who had given it to him.

Nothing was left of Harry to remember him by just the memories. He wasn't there anymore to speak with, to walk with, to see. There was no chance to tell him, _"I love you, Harry Potter."_ These were unsaid words that she had quietly concealed. Words that she had been working up to getting out with the plan that was carefully crafted with Hermione's assistance. A possibility that had been snatched away by Lord Voldemort just as he had taken away Harry's parents. Ginny cleared her throat then opened her mouth and let go of the body throttling scream.

She screamed falling down to her knees with her wand close to her side. She wailed, smacked her fist against the rug, her head lowered, her figure trembling as she was leaned over the rug. Her mess of red hair pooled around her as her figure shook in grief. Ginny’s figure was raging with fury and distress at the words that she never got to stay to him. Words that were possible for so long ago never came out how dearly that she loved Harry. How dearly that she had loved him could never be expressed and that was the catalyst that shattered her heart.

Ginny’s screaming became hoarse as she wept, sniffled, and sobbed over time. Her heart shattered to pieces in a explosive way similar to how a precious piece of glass had been destroyed with a simple drop by unsuspecting hand. Her scream was full of regret and sorrow that echoed in the chamber. She grieved that way unaware how much time passed outside of the strong feelings that were summoned. Her voice became low and lower and her fist had ceased smacking against the rug in sweet sorrow only sniffling replaced that with no tears that could be shed no more.

A series of footsteps came behind Ginny then a stray hand was placed on to her shoulder and another hand joined it. Ginny sobbed, raising her head up, then took a held out handkerchief that was ratty. The hand that was on her shoulder let go as she heard the sound of a person approach Harry’s bed. The sound of suitcases being dragged forward one after the other over Hedwig’s shrieking became another sound in the background as her hands dug into her hair. She was helped up to her feet then guided over to a nearby chair.

“Pro--r-r-pr---professor---”

Ginny was sniffling with a red face with the brown piece of neatly knitted knitted back together cloth in her hand. 

“Professor Lupin . . ."

“It’s Remus.” Remus said as he handed back the wand. “I am not a professor anymore.”

“You may not be a professor officially, but you were a friend to Harry Potter, and anyone who is grown up and helps him is a professor in Hogwarts's book.” Her voice was shattering at every tone as she wiped her tears with the ratty handkerchief and moved her wand into her pocket. “I have a question.”

“Yes, Ginny?”

Remus made a cup then handed it to the young Weasley as her figure was trembling.

“Did he die in peace?” Ginny asked.

Remus looked on with a small smile toward Ginny with one hand on her back.

“Harry died without pain.” Remus assured.

Sirius leviosa-ed the luggage then picked up Hedwig’s cage by the handle then directed the luggage with him with his wand without speaking a word. She lifted her head up noticing how tense he looked as Dumbledore stood along the doorway.

"The Ministry of Magic has asked that I--"

"I got their letter this afternoon before I left with their useless galleons for wrongly being imprisoned." Then, Sirius held up his index finger. "Don't you dare utter a apology to my face, puppeteer." He pointed toward the older man's chest. "You have no _sincere_ apology in your manipulative, cold, shriveled heart."

"Sirius--"

Sirius cut Dumbledore off raising his repaired old wand.

"One more excuse and there will be a hex done." Sirius warned, furiously. "I am almost out of fucks to give with you." 

"I advise you take his words to heart, Headmaster." Remus said. "Because if he doesn't then I will do it."

Dumbledore only looked at the young Black with a voiceless apology and assurance that he died for him. Sirius Black regarded the love of his life, warmly, then the warm features faded when his attention returned upon the older man with a deep scowl. Sirius turned away from the headmaster with his eyes burning hate, resentment, and rage paying no attention to the others around him. Everyone's eyes were now focused on Sirius Black with looks of sympathy, sorrow, and grief. 

The young Black descended down the stairs with Remus by his side. Sirius's hands were trembling as they clenched then relaxed over and over. Remus's stray hand reached out then took it acting as a anchor to Sirius to the ground and Sirius sighed then took in the touching scene. Sirius saw that walls that were lined by Hogwarts students watching Harry’s belongings being withdrawn from Gryffindor tower. The portraits watch in silence with some of them notably crying. At the second base, Harry’s belongings fell down quite abruptly as if the magic carrying them had been withdrawn. Sirius’s breath fell emotional.

Draco stepped forward then aimed his wand at the suitcases.

“ _Wingardium Leviosa_.” Draco whispered.

Goyle and Crabbe joined his side applying the same spell to the other three luggage as Sirius’s eyes shifted toward him then had a flicker of hope.

“Thank you, Draco.” Sirius’s eyes were red with remorse and what ifs as he shed a small subtle smile back at Draco.

“Don’t tell my father about this.” And Draco’s voice cracked at the last part.

“I won’t.” Sirius promised.

And Remus took the last small fallen luggage as Ginny stared down from the top holding the cup with a tremble. She followed the crowd down the stairs as the rooms of Hogwarts turned dark but the wands were slowly becoming brighter as if a chant was being done by the collective will of the students with a silent spell. It was seventh years who were behind the Lupin-Black to the court yard. Sirius’s motorbike waited for them in the center of the court yard that had once been where Trelawny was once being kicked out to the shock, the horror, and distress of the students.

Hermione and Ron were no where to be seen, busy recovering from their wounds in St Mungos --- no, most importantly, their emotional wounds -- after having been chased there by Molly Weasley once noticing they were wounded after the meeting. Dumbledore sighed watching as Harry’s belongings were lifted with care by the three Slytherins. The headmaster shook his head. Everything had gone wrong, everything was wrong, and there was only one child left who was born as July ended. He shifted his gaze upon Neville and contemplated with care of his potential future.

Ginny was at the back as she watched Sirius get on to the driver seat and put on the dark motorbike helmet. Sirius slid down the dark visor as Remus sat down behind him and put on the passenger helmet, slid the visor down, wrapped his arms around Sirius’s waist. They watched as the motorbike rose into the air with a loud vroom once being turned on. Ginny raised her wand up as the clouds grew darker than they were before above Hogwarts then Draco followed, so did Pansy, so did Goyle, and Luna that turned into other students raising their wands up as did Neville. Dumbledore was the last to raise his wand in honor of Harry.

The lighting coming from the wands parted the darkness in the sky leaving a lighter section of it over the trembling wands. It was bright above them for a very long time as Sirius's motorbike drove through the cleared area of the sky making a return flight to his home. A group of Gryffindors flew out of Hogwarts and escorted them back to London wearing their Quiddich uniforms lead by the one and only Oliver Wood who had returned when the news had broken earlier along with the other graduated Gryffindors who were there when Harry first became part of their game acting as a honor guard for one last flight with a piece of Harry.

The student body of Hogwarts stood there watching the figures in the sky shrink until they couldn't be seen any more. One by one the wands slowly lowered until it were Draco kept his wand up losing his composure. He lowered his hand as his grip hardened along the handle then turned away from where the last reminder of Harry Potter was carted off then ran into Hogwarts brushing past Ginny as he started to cry. Ginny's eyes became watery once more staring at the space. Luna put a hand on Ginny's shoulder and gave it a squeeze. Ginny turned away from the court yard then hugged Luna as she started to cry while Dumbledore followed after Neville.

"Neville Longbottom." Dumbledore called.

The crying younger man paused then shifted toward Dumbledore.

"Headmaster Dumbledore. . ." Neville said. "What would you like to discuss about Harry?"

"There is very little I like to discuss about Harry." Dumbledore said. "Do you?"

"I could have stopped him." Neville said.

"When Harry is determined on getting somewhere, there is normally no stopping him." Dumbledore said. "You were stupefied in your first year."

"I could have STOPPED HIM." Neville repeated.

Dumbledore looked on toward the boy, _perfect martyr, perfect leader, perfect replacement for the leader of my army_.

"I could have stopped him from going after his Godfather, going to his death, fighting against Death Eaters with just the lousy weak unprepared Hogwarts students."

Neville's hands were trembling as he looked at them seeing only bruises, dirt, and little to no power in them as his wand was in his cloak pocket. He closed his hands as he closed his eyes then lowered them to his side.

"I had a bad feeling about this just like the first time they used stupefy on me. I knew it! I knew something was going to go wrong but I didn't mention it to Harry! I should have mentioned that to Harry! I should have!"

The perfect one to try every day making up for not warning Harry, to make up for the loss of the boy-who-lived, the perfect chosen one. It had became quite apparent that he had quite overlooked the boy in all in his flaws, his leadership ability, his charisma, and the way that he had gathered a following that assembled the entire team that lead to his resignation from Hogwarts. Harry, on the other hand, was the source of inspiration that Neville drew from and someone that he cared about quite dearly as that was quite apparent.

"What would you do for Harry Potter's legacy?" Dumbledore asked.

Neville looked up with tears in his eyes.

"Anything." Neville said.

Dumbledore's eyes sparkled as he slowly approached the younger man's side.

"Let us speak in my office." Dumbledore said.

* * *

The next few days went by as a blur and she was willowing in sorrow along a frame of a window ledge when Hermione slowly strolled behind her with Ron by her side, Ginny turned away from the ledge facing their direction then lunged forward and crashed between them with arms on their shoulders. The grieving was long and methodical for the students of Hogwarts visiting old stomping grounds that Harry once took. News of Minister Fudge’s resignation echoed through the Wizarding world but the news that was the loudest was of Harry’s untimely demise in a life cut short.

Ron was the only one who parted from the group then walked on with his hands in fists then paused -- looking on toward the direction where Hagrid’s hut was --- at a adventure that had been so long ago. Ron wiped a sleeve against his eyes then resumed walking on. Hermione sat down alongside Ginny then slipped out a small device from her pocket. 

“A time turner!” Ginny announced.

“Not so loud.” Hermione warned.

“When did you--” Ginny looked up toward Hermione then was cut off.

“I got it two years ago.” Hermione closed Ginny’s hand around the time turner. “I need you to hand this over to me right after you return, okay, after telling him."

“Six feet away?” Ginny asked with a frown.

“It’ll be hard to say it to a ghost but. . .” Hermione looked aside, saddened, heartbroken.

“But, what?” Ginny asked.

“It can be done to the living.” Hermione's attention returned on to Ginny.

“Did you and Ron do that?” Ginny asked.

“We started it at St Mungos then got caught up with time at St Mungos." Hermione explained, fondly, but quite sadly at a fleeting moment. "Almost kept crashing into our past selves along the way. And take this," she took out a small bag. "Harry's cloak of invisibility is in here. You'll need it to get to him and speak to him without being seen."

Ginny nodded along taking the bag, tucking it into her pocket, listening to the advice of the wiser older year ahead of her. Sometimes Ginny often found herself wondering, _she is so Ravenclaw like. Why is she in Gryffindor?_ Often times, Ginny would find the answer spotting Hermione by Harry's side and Ron on his other side as he lead them through the corridors of Hogwarts. 

"It’ll be tricky just getting to him and talking to him alone without the cloak without making him seem that he is losing his mind over the Ministry's rules. . ." Hermione admitted.

"But, it can be done.” Ginny said.

"It can." Hermione said with a smile as she nodded. Hermione looked a little younger with that flashy and endearing smile that she gave in Ginny's first year toward her. "I saw Harry talk to thin air before he had that awful vision that sent us on that fatal trip." She frowned as she searched through her memory then she smiled. "It was June 13th, Saturday night."

She handed her a slip of paper that was of Harry’s schedule that dictated the chain of events that he were fixated into. Hermione got up then walked away from Ginny with her hands in her cloak. Ginny slipped the necklace around her neck then proceeded to spin the inside of the magical time turner following along to the spinning that she had read of in books. She regarded the paper that was slipped between her knees going to the date that had been dictated.

* * *

Time stopped moving and everyone had ceased to be a blur with space between the students. The traffic was quite slow just as how she had remembered it. It wasn't full of grieving students but full of depressed and miserable young people having a rough year. It was only going to get rougher with the next few days, Ginny recalled. It was the perfect breeding grounds for Dementors. Ginny took the cloak out of the bag then tossed it on preventing her from being seen. She tucked the bag into her cloak then walked on.

Ginny moved through corridor with the paper in hand following along to the directions that had been given to her by the paper. She hurried through to the Gryffindor common room finding them and other students all cooped up scattered about the room busy studying. Harry was alive and well, visible and apparent, whole, all in one piece on a couch. Hermione was across from him leaning against Ron who was yawning, bored, during the studying. Ginny took several steps toward Harry then leaned forward and whispered into his ear.

"Harry, meet me in the Forbidden forest."

"Huh?" Harry's eyes flashed open. "Ginny?"

Hermione raised her attention up.

"Harry, Ginny is in class." Hermione said.

"I just heard her." Harry said.

Ginny smiled.

"Odd." Hermione replied.

"Harry, meet me in the Forbidden Forest tonight." Ginny repeated in a whisper. "I have something to tell you."

"What is it about?" Harry asked.

"It's about . . . It's important." The members of Harry's core group were focused studying. "And bring my brother with you. I am using your cloak."

"How did you get my cloak?" Harry asked.

"Ron let me borrow it." Ginny whispered as Harry's eyes shifted toward Ron then back toward the source of the voice. "Hermione gave me her time turner. It's important that we meet in the Forbidden Forest."

Harry's eyes were trained on the parchment as Ginny withdrew.

"Hey, Ron, would you like to visit the Forbidden Forest for old times sake?" Harry asked.

"If those spiders are still there then I'll have a pass on that." Ron said.

"They still are there." Hermione said.

"Pass." Ron said.

"Suit yourself." Harry said. "Hermione?"

"Hmm, I like to have some more studying done." Hermione said.

"You have been going there for the last seven days, Harry. . ." Ron started. "What is so interesting about it?"

"It's just a nice place to be." Harry shrugged. "Freedom, surrounded by animals, insects, crowded--"

"Just like Hogwarts before The Ministry installed her." Ron's voice was full of venom and disgust toward the headmistress so Harry nodded in agreement looking back quite fondly. "She deserves to be treated the way that she treats us for a change."

Harry nodded, wincing, as the memory of the blood quill made his hand sting in pain.

"Blood quill writing her words down on her hand! Being separated from her colleagues! No fun! No sports! This is like we're living in the dragon pox plague and have to stay inside." Ron continued in a fit of rage. "She needs to be tortured! And Azkaban wouldn't fit because she wouldn't see cats be eaten alive there. These rules should ONLY be used for plagues!"

"Surrounded by gray, misery, and complete tattered uniform, that is hell." Hermione spoke up. "Soul being sucked out every day would be a nice hell for her."

"But not enough." Harry said, bitterly. "I agree with Ron, she deserves the hell that she is putting us through." Ron turned his attention upon Harry then nodded with conviction. "Just for a year living in our shoes."

"Sheesh, that's tame." Ron said with a grunt. "A year is _rubbish_ compared to how it feels to us. It should be ten years of this."

"Or two." Hermione chimed in. "Two years would be forever for a adult. Ten years would be close to a eternity."

Then they became quiet returning to their studying and Ginny departed from the common room.

* * *

Ginny quietly departed down the staircase until she reached the bottom of the tower then made her way with care outside of Hogwarts. She fled into the Forbidden Forest then came to a pause seeking which way or not to remain for the visit. She paused spotting a boulder then ran over toward it. She turned around then sat down on to it and remained there. A few hours passed as she waited then opened the small bag that Hermione had given her and spotted several packed rations waiting. Ginny took out a cup and heated it up with a single heating charm.

She took out the spoon that was tucked inside of the bag and ate as she await for Harry. With the meal complete, she transfigured the item into a butterfly and watched it fly off with a smile. She cleaned the spoon then set it into the small bag. She heard footsteps heading her way so she lifted her attention up in the direction of the noise spotting Harry. Her eyes started to water, initially, then she flung the cloak off and charged after Harry with eyes full of determination.

"Ginny, what is important?" Harry asked, concerned.

Ginny caught him into a kiss, unexpectedly, startling him, then Harry lost his tension as they stood that way for several minutes. Ginny's eyes were squeezed close as she had what she wanted to do; to tell him that she loved him. It was the simplest way that she could deliver it without Harry interjecting and being unable to finish what his admission was about how he felt about her. Her arms moved to his shoulders as he held on to her side taking in the kiss slowly but passionately.

Ginny wanted to keep him so badly but she couldn't so she had to let him go.

Saving Harry would have made her cease to exist and Harry and Ginny would be back at square one.

"That's the message." Ginny drew herself out of the kiss.

Harry stared at her then he smiled in the most delightful way that warmed her heart.

"Your message was the best one that anyone has given me." Harry said. "Ginny, I am not just interested in girls. I feel that you should know that--"

"Course I know that you and Ron and Hermione are a thing!" Ginny announced then folded her arms. "Who do you think told me to kiss your stupid mouth?"

"Seamus Finnegan." Harry guessed.

Ginny laughed as she shook her head.

"It was Hermione." Ginny said. "It was her idea to play hard to get." Harry grew a small smile at the mention of his friend. "But, she didn't anticipate you not being jealous."

"You were happy." Harry took her hands then gave them a squeeze. "That is _all_ that mattered to me."

"Would you have gone with Ron if all the girls said no?" Ginny asked.

"Obviously." Harry said.

"I regret not going to the ball with you." Ginny said. "I should have but I didn't."

"How far are you from?" Harry asked. "You wouldn't come here unless something happened during the war."

"There is no war," Ginny said.

"Ginny, I have been part of this war since I was eleven years old." Harry said. "It has been my life."

"We don't see the other often." Ginny finally relented as she lowered her head. "You are busy fighting off against Voldemort fining ways to defeat him, defeating Defense Against The Dark Arts professors, and how to best entrap Dolores Umbridge with cats into a trap." She searched the ground searching for a lie that would best suit why she had brought him here. "And we don't have enough time to have some romance to ourselves."

"Do I ever find a way?" Harry asked. 

Ginny lifted her gaze up.

"You get her cat portraits and try to lure her to The Chamber of Secrets threatening to destroy them."

"Does it work?"

"You haven't tried that out. . . yet."

"We could try doing that once we get Dumbledore back to Hogwarts."

"You should." Ginny nodded in agreement, painfully keeping back tears, _Dumbledore isn't coming back without you dead._

"Ginny. . ." Harry said. "For the last few nights, I have been meeting Hermione and Ron in the Forbidden Forest. I see them, but, they walk away every time I approach them." he grew troubled by his observation. "Normally, I don't notice much but I can feel their stares on me."

"Oh, you mean the charmed scarecrows against the centaurs?"

"What?" Harry asked, surprised 

"Those scarecrows." Ginny pointed toward the scarecrows. "They are hexed to resemble the people that are extremely close to you."

"I see them!" Harry said then laughed. "I feel so silly."

Ginny put a hand on the side of his arm. 

"It's okay to feel silly." Ginny said. "For a long time, I saw mom and dad when I came out for a breather."

Harry smiled then it faded as he shifted his attention toward the scarecrows. 

"What do they do?" Harry asked.

"They use their sticks and smack them against the Centaurs whenever they approach a member of Hogwarts students." Ginny explained as Harry began to grin listening to her talk and she tapped on her fingers listing on the mere reasons why they were installed. "Discretion is applied to bad people, people of the dark arts, wanderers, squibs who don't belong, people who don't belong in Hogwarts and chase them away from the area. They were just installed last year."

Laughter came from the boy-who's-time-was-limited and so did Ginny until they couldn't laugh no more. They sank down to the ground of the Forbidden Forest then set against the boulder side, side by side, then stared up toward the night sky. Ginny slid down her cloak as Harry's version of the invisibility cloak was set beside him. It was a night hour with the sounds of the magical wildlife around them and clear peaceful air for the time being. She reached a hand out then took Harry's larger hand. Harry looked toward Ginny and smiled.

They quietly remained there as he shifted his gaze off and remained there. It was then that Ginny decided what she wanted to do. She charmed the insect (that had once been trash) into a transparent bowl. It was going to be trial and error just to get what she wanted. A piece of him that would remain once the second Wizarding War was over with and she was going to need specialty in healing and potions expertise. It was going to take awhile just to get what she wanted.

It was done in a matter of minutes, making his hair fall out, sending it flying into the bowl, regrow, hair shed, until the bowl was full while Harry's attention was focused on the night sky paying no attention to the surrounding enjoying holding Harry's hand. She withdrew the bowl of hair, crafted a lid, then covered the bowl and set it beside her. Harry leaned against her figure and fell asleep. Ginny felt her heart break as she allowed time to pass by just to be around him a little bit longer. Finally, as the sky was lighting up, Ginny stirred the boy awake.

"Harry, wake up." Ginny said.

Harry's eyes opened.

"Can we do this again?" Harry asked.

Ginny paused, in surprise, then gradually smiled.

"Sure." Ginny said.

"I enjoyed spending time with someone else other than me in here." Harry said. "Since Headmaster Umbridge has taken over; this is the only place -- however dark, forbidden, and gruesome -- that has the old Hogwarts left."

"It's home." Ginny said. "She is all around us, she protects us the best way that she can with the worst creatures," she stretched her arms out. "Doesn't it bother you none of them came here?"

"No." Harry said. "It doesn't." he shook his head then motioned his hand toward the tall installations that resembled scarecrows seen on farms. "Because we got scarecrows."

Harry leaned forward then planted a small kiss on to her lips and backed off. 

"I love you, Harry Potter." Ginny said. 

Harry held his hand out then she took his hand and got up to her feet.

"I love you, too." Harry said then departed from the Forbidden forest with his cloak in hand.

* * *

Ginny spent the next few nights that way until the night that Harry came -- hiding behind a tree -- and Headmaster Umbridge.

Ginny covered her mouth when Harry left then wept in silence as she slid down the back of a tree landing down to her knees. 

She came to the court yard of Hogwarts then waited for the motorbike to arrive. She watched as Sirius slid off his bicycle helmet, slipped it on the handle of the motorbike, then got off as Remus unbuckled himself in the passenger seat. Remus joined his side then gave Sirius a moment to pause with a hand on his shoulder. Sirius's fist was trembling as he looked on toward the door. 

"Don't hex Dumbledore in front of the students." Remus warned, as his grip on the former convict's shoulder loosened. "You would make a bad example of what it means to be a Wizardly Phoenix if you do that."

Sirius lifted his head up.

"You're right." Sirius's voice was softer and quite small then sighed looking on. Sirius turned his head toward Remus. "Are you ready to go back to our old room, Moony?"

Remus wore a tired but well worn eager small smile.

"I have been ready since we left, Pads." Remus said. 

She waited until they passed by to fold the cloak and slip it into the passenger seat then went on feeling deprived of all those feelings that she had once felt now replaced by resolve and acceptance of what had happened. With a sigh, the grief was drawn out and released never to be returned to her in the foreseeable future. She quietly made her way from the court yard back to where she had done all her waiting from with one hand in her pocket clasped on to the small bag that had bowls full of Harry's hair. 

Ginny returned to the Forbidden Forest and waited a few more days for time to catch up once more then returned once the hour had came and returned to the Gryffindor tower with a slow walk but a head held up high. She was going to give the Wizarding World after the war something far more precious and it wasn't for the world. It was a reward for her bringing a small piece back from the Veil even if it was going to be for conception purposes. A piece of him that was still going to be there after the Dark Lord's hands in his fall. She was going to give the child a childhood that was going to be the one that Harry would have wanted and tell them about their father when they were old enough.

A reminder of Harry but that is all she wanted; to see _Harry's smile_ , again.

Alive and well.


End file.
